Chapter 473

Very quickly, more than half a month had passed since the six great legions set out.

Since the six great legions set out seven or eight days ago,

victory reports had already come from those closer by.

And in these few days, the six great legions had even more frequent victory reports.

Especially Guan Yu's Vermillion Bird Army, because the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans, under the leadership of Sage Maiden Zhang Ning,

had all surrendered, and thus Guan Yu was also among the six great legions.

The first legion to pacify a province.

These days, Xun Yu and the others had racked their brains for officials in various places.

Now, the Ministry of Personnel was still continuously selecting officials from the populace.

The previous officials were simply not enough to use now.

If it weren't for the lack of civil officials, Guan Yu would have already returned to the capital by now.

Today was the day Liu Bian gathered his ministers to hold a Grand Court Assembly.

Early in the morning, the ministers had already gathered outside the Court Hall.

Everyone's face was filled with joy.

The victory reports coming from various places were presumably known to the whole world by now.

"His Majesty has a decree: officials enter the court!"

Just as the crowd was discussing, Eunuch Chief Steward Li Liangcheng arrived outside the Court Hall.

He shouted loudly to the crowd.

After everyone entered the hall and the procedures were completed, Li Liangcheng shouted loudly:

"If you have matters to report, present them; if not, the court is dismissed!"

After Li Liangcheng's voice fell, Minister of Personnel Xun Yu immediately stepped out and said loudly to Liu Bian:

"Your Majesty, this subject, Minister of Personnel Xun Yu, has a memorial to present!"

"Granted!"

Liu Bian, sitting high on the dragon throne, scanned Xun Yu and said in a commanding voice.

"Your Majesty, as we currently conquer more and more territory, the low-level officials in various places are already severely insufficient."

"I and the various ministers have already used all the talent we could think of."

"Now, there is still a lack of talent!"

"I ask Your Majesty to come up with a foolproof plan for this matter!"

Xun Yu said to Liu Bian in a low voice.

Hearing this, Liu Bian also showed an expression of understanding.

So Xun Yu was worried about this.

Immediately, Liu Bian also asked the ministers:

"Ministers, regarding what Minister Xun Yu said, do you have any countermeasures?"

The ministers, upon hearing this, looked at each other.

Subsequently, Inner Cabinet Minister Yang Biao stepped out, bowed to Liu Bian, and said:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, our imperial court selects officials using the Xiaolian system."

"The officials selected are also mostly children of great clans."

"Now, ever since Your Majesty took back the surplus land of the great clans, those who resisted have all been eliminated."

"Now, the children of those clans who complied with the imperial court's policies have basically all been used."

"Now, I have also discussed with the various ministers, and the best method is to win over the scholars under those lords and have them serve as local officials!"

Yang Biao told Liu Bian and the ministers his method.

Hearing this, Liu Bian did not express his stance immediately, but tapped his fingers on the dragon throne and fell into deep thought.

The ministers, looking at Liu Bian's actions, also fell silent; everyone didn't even dare to breathe loudly, for fear of disturbing Liu Bian.

A while later, Liu Bian raised his head and asked the ministers:

"Do any of you have a way to solve this?"

After hearing Liu Bian's words, the ministers looked at each other and shook their heads.

Subsequently, they bowed and cupped their fists in unison:

"We, your subjects, are incompetent; please forgive us, Your Majesty!"

This result was not beyond Liu Bian's expectations.

"Since you have no solutions, then I will say it directly!"

"Since there is no suitable talent among the great clans, the entire Great Han Empire..."

"With a population of nearly fifty million, I do not believe we cannot find some officials!"

Immediately following, Liu Bian said loudly to the Ministers of the Six Ministries and the Inner Cabinet ministers:

"Inner Cabinet and Six Ministries, starting today, the official selection system of our Great Han Empire..."

"Will be changed from the previous Xiaolian system to the Imperial Examination system!"

As soon as Liu Bian said this, the ministers showed expressions of doubt.

"Your Majesty, I do not know what the Imperial Examination system is?"

At this time, before Liu Bian could explain, Minister of Personnel Xun Yu asked with a face full of doubt.

Hearing this, the ministers also quieted down.

Everyone pricked up their ears and listened carefully.

Liu Bian scanned the officials and said majestically:

"The Imperial Examination system is to select talented people from the populace to be used by our Great Han Empire."

"Any citizen of our Great Han Empire can participate in the Imperial Examination selection."

Xun Yu, the Inner Cabinet ministers, and the Ministers of the Six Ministries, upon hearing this, looked at Liu Bian with awe.

They shouted in unison:

"Your Majesty is wise; we, your subjects, submit!"

"The Imperial Examination is divided into the Civil Examination and the Military Examination."

"Contestants can start from the Provincial Examination, and after passing the Provincial Examination, they can participate in the subsequent County Examination, Prefectural Examination, and finally the Palace Examination!"

"The Provincial Examination, as the name suggests, is a competition held by a township; those who pass can obtain the Tongsheng literary rank."

"However, since there is also a Tongsheng realm in the Literary Dao realm, to distinguish them, they are distinguished by literary rank."

"And those who pass the County Examination can obtain the Scholar literary rank, and Scholar can serve in some civil positions below the Ninth Rank."

"Those who pass the Prefectural Examination can obtain the Juwen literary rank and can serve in official positions below the Eighth Rank."

"As for the final Palace Examination, it is to come to the Imperial Palace, where I will personally set the questions, and the top three who pass..."

"The third place is the Tanhua, the second place is the Bangyan, and the first place is the Zhuangyuan!"

"For the top three, the Zhuangyuan can serve in a Sixth Rank official position, and the other two can serve in official positions below the Sixth Rank and above the Eighth Rank!"

"The Provincial Examination is held once a year."

"The County Examination is held once every two years."

"The Prefectural Examination is held once every three years."

"The Palace Examination is held once every four years."

"Since this is the first time the Great Han Empire is holding an Imperial Examination, this time the Imperial Examination will be held sequentially from the Provincial Examination to the Palace Examination."

"The Ministry of Rites will be responsible for hosting this matter, with the Ministry of Personnel assisting from the side."

"Inner Cabinet members are responsible for supervision to prevent cheating or favoritism."

Liu Bian introduced the Imperial Examination system to the ministers in one breath.

He did not forget to instruct the Inner Cabinet ministers.

The few, upon hearing this, responded respectfully:

"We, your subjects, obey the decree!"

At this time, the ministers were all looking at Liu Bian with shock.

However, if this matter were to spread, presumably the entire Great Han Empire would be in an uproar.

For those who were not children of great clans, this was truly an opportunity to ascend to the heavens in one step.

If one could reach the Palace Examination, one could show one's face before Liu Bian.

And as long as one could show one's face before Liu Bian and leave a good impression, one would certainly soar in the future.

"For this Imperial Examination, any commoner who passes the County Examination will be subsidized two taels of silver, and those who pass the Prefectural Examination will be subsidized ten taels of silver."

"As for those who participate in the Palace Examination, each person will be subsidized twenty taels of silver!"